#1 Terrapins Win at #7 Duke, 5-1

Maryland Athletics

11-2-2013

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Top-ranked Maryland field hockey rolled to a 5-1 win at No. 7 Duke Saturday to close the regular season. Sophomore Anna Dessoye scored twice in the first half to help the Terrapins to a 3-0 lead at the break.

With the win, Maryland (18-1, 6-0 ACC) won its sixth ACC game of the season, setting a new school record for conference wins in a year. The Terrapins also tied their record of 18 regular season wins set in 2009.

Maryland already locked up the top seed in next weekend’s ACC Tournament. The Terps will play either the 4-seed Duke or 5-seed Friday at 1 p.m. The game will be shown online on ESPN3 and RSN. For full bracket and information, log on to http://www.theacc.com/#!/page/championship_w-fieldh.

The Terrapins kept up their offensive control over the Blue Devils (13-5, 3-3 ACC) from the start. In the first half alone, the Terps tallied six penalty corners and scored off three of them for a 3-0 lead at the break.

“Duke is an athletic and technically talented team,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “Maryland started the game with control and power in our passing game. We are pleased with our penalty corner execution and deep defensive circle play. Natalie Hunter was exceptional in goal and Brooke Cabrera also had dominant minutes.”

Dessoye scored her second with 3:32 left in the first half to make it a 3-0 lead. McEvoy assisted on the play off another penalty corner.

The Blue Devil offense threatened to get on the board throughout the second half, notching seven penalty corners and 10 shots. Sophomore Alyssa Parker answered when she tipped in redshirt freshman Emma Rissinger’s shot with 9:02 to play. Parker’s goal made it a four-goal advantage for the Terps.

With 6:32 to go, freshman Mieke Hayn made it 5-0 off a pass from Fluharty. Less than a minute later, Duke got on the board with a made penalty stroke from Emmie Le Marchand.

Fluharty was named ACC Co-Player of the Week Tuesday for her two-goal performance over the weekend. Fluharty helped jump-start the Maryland offense with two goals in a 4-1 win over No. 5 Virginia, clinching the No. 1 seed in the upcoming ACC Field Hockey Championship for the Terrapins.

The Terrapins are No. 1 in both the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches poll and the latest NCAA RPI rankings released Oct. 22. The Terps have held the top spot in both polls for the last month.

Next, Maryland will compete in the ACC Tournament Nov. 8-10 in Newton, Mass. With the top seed, the Terrapins are the only team with a bye in Thursday’s first round.